National Urban Conclave 1.0

National Urban Learning Platform (NULP)

Contributors: Hitesh Vaidya, Dr. Debjani Ghosh, Priyanka Mehra, Sreenandini Banerjee, Akruti Murhekar, Anna Brittas, Riya Robi, Samridhi Pandey, Shreyas Chorgi, Simran Purswamy,

This report encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the National Urban Conclave, held on October 31, 2023, coinciding with World Cities Day. The conclave focused on the crucial interplay between capacity building and data-driven decision-making, highlighting how urban practitioners can leverage technology and analytics to drive sustainable development. Organized by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) in collaboration with the Urban Outcomes Framework (UOF) and the National Urban Learning Platform (NULP), the event aimed to strengthen the synergy between data and skill enhancement in urban governance. A key takeaway from the conclave was the role of data as a cornerstone for evidence-based urban planning, resource optimization, and environmental sustainability. The discussions underscored that effective capacity-building initiatives, integrated with data-centric methodologies, empower practitioners to navigate complex urban challenges with innovative solutions. The event featured three major components: ‘Urban Nexus,’ which explored sustainable data ecosystems and interactive case studies; ‘Community Mingle,’ which included pre-event challenges like Mapathon and Datathon; and an AI Art Exhibition showcasing data visualizations. With over 500 participants from government, academia, smart city SPVs, and industry, the conclave fostered collaboration and knowledge-sharing, reinforcing the importance of data-driven urban transformation.